Reel for coiling strip

ABSTRACT

The reel comprises a plurality of expansible shell portions, a plurality of expanding bars operable to adjust said shell portions, a clamping seat, a radially displaceable clamping bar radially facing said seat, a slidable wedge bar disposed on the side of said clamping bar opposite to said seat, pressure plungers interposed between said wedge bar and said clamping bar and operatively connecting the same, and spring means urging said wedge bar toward said clamping bar. Said wedge bar is operable to force said clamping bar against said seat by means of said pressure plungers so that a strip end portion can be clamped between said clamping bar and said clamping seat.

[ 1 Oct. 8, 1974 i 1 REEL FOR COILING STRIP [75] Inventor: Alexander Rodach, Pforzheim,

Germany [73] Assignee: Frau Irma Ungerer, Pforzheim,

Germany [22] Filed: May 8, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 251,181

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 27, 1971 Germany 2126406 [52] US. Cl. 242/783, 242/74 [51} Int. Cl. B2lc 47/06, B65h 75/28 [58] Field of Search 242/783, 74, 72.1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,321,146 6/1943 Jones.. .i 242/783 3,593,938 7/1971 Watt 242/783 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 855,078 11/1970 Canada 242/783 Primary Examiner-John W. l-luckert Assistant Examiner-Edward J McCarthy Attorney, Agent, or FirmGeorge F. Dvorak [57] ABSTRACT The reel comprises a plurality of expansible shell portions, a plurality of expanding bars operable to adjust said shell portions, a clamping seat, a radially displaceable clamping bar radially facing said seat, a slidable wedge bar disposed on the side of said clamping bar opposite to said seat, pressure plungers interposed between said wedge bar and said clamping bar and operatively connecting the same, and spring means urging said wedge bar toward said clamping bar. Said wedge bar -is operable to force said clamping bar against said seat by means of said pressure plungers so that a strip end portion can be clamped between said clamping bar and said clamping seat.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures This invention relates to a reel for coiling strip, particularly strip metal in strip-manufacturing and -processing plants.

Reels are known which comprise radially displaceable, expansible shell portions, which are adjustable by means of expanding bars, and an adjustable clamping member, which serves to clamp the end portion of the strip. This clamping member consists of a clamping bar, which is operable by a wedge bar. In such an arrangement, it is difiicult to ensure a reliable clamping of the end portion of the strip and a satisfactory transition from the clamped portion to the coiled strip. If the clamped portion is strongly angled, the strip is liable to be kinked or compressed at said transition and depending on the thickness of the strip and the properties of its material such deformations are propagated more or less into the coiled strip so that a leading portion thereof is unusable. If the clamped portion is only slightly angled or is not angled at all, the pressure forces-exerted in the previously known reels are too small to ensure a satisfactory retention of the end portion of the strip.

In a reel for coiling strip, particularly strip metal in strip-manufacturing and processing plants which reel comprises preferably radially displaceable, expansible shell portions, which are adjustable by one or more expanding bars, and a clamping member, which serves to clamp the end portion of the strip and which consists of a clamping bar, which is operable by a wedge bar, these disadvantages are eliminated according to the invention in that the radially displaceable clamping bar is operatively connected to the wedge bar by interposed pressure plungers and the wedge bar is springloaded in the clamping direction. Owing to the wedge transmission, the clamping force derived from the spring force is a multiple thereof so that a clamped strip end portion will be reliably retained even if it is not angled or only slightly angled.

Specifically, the clamping bar is fitted in a longitudinal groove formed in an expansible sheel portion, which groove is covered by overlying portions and formed with a flat outlet slot for receiving the end of the strip, whereas the pressure plungers are inwardly biased by return springs and extend through the guide base of the clamping bar and engage the underlying wedge bar. The expansible shell portion provided with the clamping bar receives locking pins, which engage the shell portion under spring force and hold the shell portion in engagement with the wedge bar.

The clamping bar is operatively connected to the axially displaceable wedge bar by interposed pressure plungers and the latter is adjustable by means of an expanding rod, which extends through the hollow core of the reel and is displaceable by fluid pressure force.

The expanding rod may be operatively connected to a cross-member and by means of the same may be used to adjust a first wedge bar, to which a clamping bar for clamping the end portion of the strip is operatively connected by means of pressure plungers, and to adjust additional wedge bars, to which respective expanding bars for adjusting the expansible shell portions are operatively connected.

FIGS. land 2, respectively'Qare a transverse sectional view and a longitudinal sectional view showing a strip reel according to the invention.

A reel 1, which may be supported only at one end, for instance, and comprises radially displaceable, expansible shell portions 2, is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. According to the invention, that reel is provided with at least one clamping bar 3, which is provided at the point where the leading end of the strip is to be clamped and which is slidable relative to the peripheral surface of V the reel 1. A wedge bar 5 is operable to force by means An embodiment of a reel according to the invention is shown by way of example on the drawing, in which of interposed pressure plungers 6 the clamping bar into engagement with the seat 4. The clamping bar 3 is seated in a longitudinal groove 8,.which is covered by a projecting portion 7, which leaves a narrow slot 9 for receiving the strip. The pressure plungers are subjected to an inward pressure by springs 10 and extend through a guide base 11 of the clamping bar 1 and engage the underlying wedge bar 5. The associated expansible shell portion 2 provided with the clamping bar 3 is held in engagement by holding-down bolts 13 loaded by'springs 12.

The wedge bar 5 is operatively connected to the clamping bar 3 by interposed pressure plungers 6 and is axially slidable by means of an expanding rod 14, operable by fluid pressure which extends through the hollow core 15 of the reel and is pneumatically or hydraulically displaceable. The expanding rod '14 carries a cross-member 16, which engages the wedge bar 5 and is operable to adjust the same, and also engages addi tional wedge bars 18, on which expanding bars 19 are seated, which are held in engagement by spring-loaded bolts 20 carried by the expanding shell portions 2, as is shown in FIG. 2. A spring 17 is provided to urge the cross-member 16 against the wedge bar 5. Owing to the wedge transmission, the clamping force derived from the spring 17 is a multiple of the force of the latter.

What is claimed is:

l. A reel for coiling strip, the combination comprismg a plurality of expansible shell portions,

a plurality of expanding bars operable to expand said shell portions,

a clamping seat disposed on at least one of said shell portions,

a radially movable clamping bar for clamping a strip end portion to said clamping seat,

slidable wedge bars in contact with said expanding bars,

said clamping seat having a projecting portion adaptable to form with said clamping bar a narrow slot for receiving said strip,

a single wedge bar slidable axially along the axis of the reel,

a cross member connected between said expanding bars and said single wedge bar, and spring pressure means connected to said cross member and said single wedge bar, whereby force from said spring pressure means is exerted against said single wedge bar and is effective to maintain contact pressure to hold said strip between said clamping bar and said clamping seat,

said force of said pressure means being augmented by acting through said single wedge bar and effective to hold securely said strip between said clamping bar and said clamping seat.

2. A reel as set forth in claim 1, in which said shell portions are radially displaceable.

3. A reel as set forth in claim 2, in which one of said shell portions is formed on the outside with a longitudinal groove and with said projection covering said groove while leaving said narrow slot,

said projection has a radially inwardly facing surface forming said seat,

said clamping bar is disposed in said groove and formed with a guide base,

said single wedge bar is displaced radially inwardly of said clamping bar,

pressure plungers extend through said guide base and into engagement with said wedge bar, and

return spring means are provided and urge said pres sure plungers radially inwardly.

4. A reel as set forth in claim 3, in which said spring pressure meansare spring-loaded holding-down pins which urge said shell portion radially inwardly.

5. A reel as set forth in claim 1, in which a hollow core is provided, and an expanding rod operable by fluid pressure to adjust said wedge bar is slidably mounted in said core.

6. A reel as set forth in claim 5, in which said cross-member, which operatively connects said expanding rod to said single wedge bar operatively connected to said clamping bar, also operatively connects said expanding rod to said slidable wedge bars, whereby said expanding rod is adapted to adjust all said wedge bars. 

1. A reel for coiling strip, the combination comprising a plurality of expansible shell portions, a plurality of expanding bars operable to expand said shell portions, a clamping seat disposed on at least one of said shell portions, a radially movable clamping bar for clamping a strip end portion to said clamping seat, slidable wedge bars in contact with said expanding bars, said clamping seat having a projecting portion adaptable to form with said clamping bar a narrow slot for receiving said strip, a single wedge bar slidable axially along the axis of the reel, a cross member connected between said expanding bars and said single wedge bar, and spring pressure means connected to said cross member and said single wedge bar, whereby force from said spring pressure means is exerted against said single wedge bar and is effective to maintain contact pressure to hold said strip between said clamping bar and said clamping seat, said force of said pressure means being augmented by acting through said single wedge bar and effective to hold securely said strip between said clamping bar and said clamping seat.
 2. A reel as set forth in claim 1, in which said shell portions are radially displaceable.
 3. A reel as set forth in claim 2, in which one of said shell portions is formed on the outside with a longitudinal groove and with said projection covering said groove while leaving said narrow slot, said projection has a radially inwardly facing surface forming said seat, said clamping bar is disposeD in said groove and formed with a guide base, said single wedge bar is displaced radially inwardly of said clamping bar, pressure plungers extend through said guide base and into engagement with said wedge bar, and return spring means are provided and urge said pressure plungers radially inwardly.
 4. A reel as set forth in claim 3, in which said spring pressure means are spring-loaded holding-down pins which urge said shell portion radially inwardly.
 5. A reel as set forth in claim 1, in which a hollow core is provided, and an expanding rod operable by fluid pressure to adjust said wedge bar is slidably mounted in said core.
 6. A reel as set forth in claim 5, in which said cross-member, which operatively connects said expanding rod to said single wedge bar operatively connected to said clamping bar, also operatively connects said expanding rod to said slidable wedge bars, whereby said expanding rod is adapted to adjust all said wedge bars. 